Tag: Diana Gabaldon

Confession time…I don’t watch tv. Nope. If I see a series that I think will interest me, I download the first episode, check it out, and then wait and pick it up on blu-ray and pull a marathon. My shows include Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals (which I haven’t seen even 5 minutes of, but bought anyways), and True Blood. But, it looks like my collection might be soon growing, since there is a whole crop of book adaptations hitting the small screen that I just haven’t gotten to. Yet.

Bitten is what actually made me write this post. I had heard something about Kelley Armstrong‘s Women of the Otherworld books making the jump to tv a few months ago, but it promptly slipped my mind. I only recently started reading (and really liking) the series, so I decided to take the plunge and pick up season one.

From Page…

Elena Michaels is the world’s only female werewolf. And she’s tired of it. Tired of a life spent hiding and protecting, a life where her most important job is hunting down rogue werewolves. Tired of a world that not only accepts the worst in her–her temper, her violence–but requires it. Worst of all, she realizes she’s growing content with that life, with being that person.

So she left the Pack and returned to Toronto where she’s trying to live as a human. When the Pack leader calls asking for her help fighting a sudden uprising, she only agrees because she owes him. Once this is over, she’ll be squared with the Pack and free to live life as a human. Which is what she wants. Really.

To Screen…

And who hasn’t heard about the Outlander adaptation, based on the books by Diana Gabaldon? This is another series I have been hesitating to pick up – not because of the length of the books, but because I have an iffy relationship with historical romance. It used to be all I read back in my college days, but I find historical with a paranormal bent is really hit or miss for me. However, the buzz I am hearing is so good for this one I just might have to break down and start buying both the show AND the books.

From Page…

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon–when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach–an “outlander”–in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord…1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life…and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire…and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

To Screen…

Now, to be honest, I hadn’t heard of either the book or the show for this next one until the author, Brian McGreevy, sent over a request for a review. Hemlock Grove is a Netflix original series that already has a couple of seasons under its belt (where have I even been?!?).

From Page…

The body of a young girl is found mangled and murdered in the woods of Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania, in the shadow of the abandoned Godfrey Steel mill. A manhunt ensues—though the authorities aren’t sure if it’s a man they should be looking for.

Some suspect an escapee from the White Tower, a foreboding biotech facility owned by the Godfrey family—their personal fortune and the local economy having moved on from Pittsburgh steel—where, if rumors are true, biological experiments of the most unethical kind take place. Others turn to Peter Rumancek, a Gypsy trailer-trash kid who has told impressionable high school classmates that he’s a werewolf. Or perhaps it’s Roman, the son of the late JR Godfrey, who rules the adolescent social scene with the casual arrogance of a cold-blooded aristocrat, his superior status unquestioned despite his decidedly freakish sister, Shelley, whose monstrous medical conditions belie a sweet intelligence, and his otherworldly control freak of a mother, Olivia.

At once a riveting mystery and a fascinating revelation of the grotesque and the darkness in us all, Hemlock Grove has the architecture and energy to become a classic in its own right—and Brian McGreevy the talent and ambition to enthrall us for years to come.

To Screen…

And the final one that comes to mind is Melissa de la Cruz‘s Witches of East End. This is another one that slipped under my radar, for some reason (and here I thought I was more in touch than that). This one is part way into its second season, but I haven’t heard much about it either way.

From Page…

The three Beauchamp women–Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid–live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret–they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there’s Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it’s time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

With a brand-new cast of characters, a fascinating and fresh world to discover, and a few surprise appearances from some of the Blue Blood fan favorites, this is a page-turning, deliciously fun, magical summer read fraught with love affairs, witchcraft, and an unforgettable battle between good and evil.

To Screen…

What is your take on this “new” batch of book-to-tv adaptations? Any fans so far? How faithful have the shows stuck to the source material, and does liking one mean you automatically check out the other? I do know starting the Women of the Otherworld books made me interested in the show, and the good reviews of the Outlander series have made me consider getting the books, but do you do the same?

It didn’t look there was much to post today, but then Amber pointed out that the cover for our mutually loved Jennifer L. Armentrout‘s next Covenant novel, Sentinel, was out. Aaaand that led to finding 7 more between Amazon and Goodreads. Sentinel is due out on December 10th. Not a great cover, but a really great series.

Kalayna Price‘s next Alex Craft book, Grave Visions, is due out on August 6th.

Next up is Breath of Iron from Kate Cross. It is part of her Clockwork Agents series, and it is due out on August 6th.

There has been a lot of talk over the last couple of years about another Outlander book from Diana Gabaldon, but now it looks like Written in My Own Heart’s Blood is confirmed for a December 10th release.

Midnight’s Promise from Donna Grant, the 8th book of her Dark Warriors series, is due out on October 29th.

These next two are both from the recently announced “Dark trilogy” from Christine Feehan. Dark Lycan, Dark series number 24, will be released on September 3rd.

And it will be followed by Dark Wolf will follow in January 2014. This one is the long-awaited story of Skylar and Dimitri.

And this final one is the lone YA title. Julie Kagawa‘s second Iron Fey spin-off book, The Iron Traitor, is due out on October 29th.

This is probably old news, but it has been confirmed that Diana Gabaldon‘s mega Outlander series will be adapted for television. I had heard rumors a while back that there were plans for a movie that had stars Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl attached, but then that just sort of went away. This time around, it looks like everything has been finalized and Outlander will be heading to the small screen on the Starz channel.

From Deadline Hollywood…

Starz has closed a deal to develop Outlander, a drama series based on Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling fantasy/romance/adventure series of books. Battlestar Galactica developer/executive producer Ron Moore will write the series adaptation, with Jim Kohlberg’s Story Mining and Supply Co producing. Sony Pictures TV is behind the project after acquiring rights to the booksin the summer and attaching Moore, who is under an overall deal at the studio, to develop and write a series targeted for cable networks.

Outlander spans the genres of romance, science fiction, history, and adventure. It follows Claire, a married WWII combat nurse, who mistakenly steps back in time to year 1743 where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world of adventure that sends her on the run and threatens her life. When Claire is forced to marry Jamie, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, it ignites a passionate affair that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Outlander is the latest Starz drama project set centuries in the past, along with hit Spartacus and the upcoming Da Vinci’s Demons, Black Sails, Marco Polo and The White Queen.

The seven-book Outlander series has sold over 20 million copies. An eighth novel is slated to come out next year. The books have developed passionate fan following, with multiple companies running “Jamie and Claire” tours of Scotland, where they visit locations from the books.

Star Trek veteran Moore, repped by CAA, started his writing career on Next Generation and also spent five years on Deep Space Nine. He then served as co-executive producer/co-showrunner on the WB’s Roswell and as executive producer/showrunner on HBO’s Carnivale before segueing to Battlestar Galactica.

It does sound like things are in good hands (I say that as a Battlestar Galactica lover), so hopefully this time the project can get off the ground. I like this trend of turning to the small screen instead of exclusively to the big screen for adaptations, as long as they are done well. Do you think this is a good move, or would you rather see the series stay on the printed page?

From Harry Potter to Twilight to Hunger Games, pretty much every time I turn around now I hear about a new one of “my” books being somehow adapted for the screen, be it motion picture or television. I was looking at my Young Adult books, and pretty much every second book is in some stage of movie development. I am a faithful fan of The Vampire Diaries, just bought the Blu-rays for True Blood, and just might have to get into Game of Thrones. I can’t wait for the last two Twilight movies, and I plan a marathon of all the Harry Potters when the last one comes out next month. So, I started digging a bit to see what else is on the horizon for paranormal/urban fantasy adaptations. Man, I can’t believe just how many there are, and I am sure that I haven’t even scratched the surface…

I am pretty sure there is no one left alive who doesn’t know that Suzanne Collins‘ Hunger Games Trilogy will be heading to the big screen. It is in the post-production stage right now, and is scheduled for a March 2013 release, and it will star Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, and Donald Sutherland, among others. The first one hasn’t even opened yet, but the second movie, Catching Fire, has already been given a release date of November 22nd, 2013. And, like Twilight and Harry Potter before it, there is even a rumor that book three, Mockingjay, may actually be split into two movies.

There have been rumors for quite a while about Cassandra Clare‘s Mortal Instruments series being made into a movie, but things are definitely a go now. It is in the pre-production stage, but principle casting is taking place. So far Lily Collins is confirmed for Clary, and for a while it looked like Alex Pettyfer was going to be Jace. However, it appears that Jamie Campbell Bower has won the role. Filming will begin in January, and it is thought to be a late 2012 release.

Now, there was some big news recently on the adult book front, as well. Prolific author Sherrilyn Kenyon has not one, but TWO deals in the works. She will partner with Amber Entertainment to produce a movie based on her Chronicles of Nick series, starting with the first book, Infinity. And if that isn’t enough, there is also plans for a tv series based on her signature Dark-Hunter series. Very little info is known as yet about either project.

Around the same time the Kenyon news came out, it was also announced that Dreamworks is looking to develop its own fantasy franchise starting with all five books of Karen Marie Moning‘s Fever series. This is not the first time these MacKayla Lane books have been optioned, as it was originally a 20th Century Fox property. This sounds promising, however.

For the last year or so, I have seen references to a Diana GabaldonOutlander movie. As of late last year, it was still in the “in development” stage, with both Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler rumored to be attached to the starring roles. Right now, it is the script stage, but it is being listed as a late 2012 release. I could totally work with Gerry, but Heigl? Meh.

Getting bored yet? There is a ton more to go. For the last couple of years, there have been whispers of a Richelle MeadVampire Academy movie (or movies). It seemed like momentum would be building, and then just sort of…vanish. Looks like things are back on track (as of now), since this is being shopped as a 2013 release. No clue on whether it is to be considered a one-off movie, or the beginning of a series (what with there being six books in total). Here’s hoping things work out this time around.

Following on the huge success of Twilight, Stephenie Meyer is going back to the movies with her other, more adult sci-fi series. The Host, which will be hitting the theaters on March 29th, 2013, is the first book of the series of the same name. At least, Meyer has outlined two subsequent books, titled The Soul and The Seeker. Dianna Agron, Luke Wilson, Shiloh Fernandez, and Ian Sommerhalder (yes! Please?) all auditioned for various roles, but the only confirmed actor is Saoirse Ronan (Hanna), who will be starring as Melanie Stryder.

It looks like Kiersten White‘s trilogy, starting with Paranormalcy (followed by Supernaturally and finally Endlessly), is also a go. It was actually optioned before it was even published, and the first time director is Ray Kay (yep, really), known for directing music videos from the likes of Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga.

It was only a matter of time before the next two were given the movie treatment. First up is Fallen, from author Lauren Kate. Disney Pictures picked up the rights for Fallen, plus the expected three books to follow, in the middle of last year. Casting is going on now, and as of even last month rumor was pointing to actress Lucy Hale playing Lucinda Price. Meanwhile, Maggie Stiefvater‘s Wolves of Mercy Falls series (starting with Shiver), has been optioned by Warner Brothers. Not much info is available on this one as yet, but Entertainment Weekly did point to it as one of the upcoming adaptations to keep an eye out for.

We will have a bit of a wait for this one, but Veronica Roth‘s dystopian trilogy, starting with Divergent, will be coming to the screen sometime in 2015. There is little info available as yet, since things are in the very early stages, but on the book front the second title will be Insurgent, and should be available next May.

2013 will also see the release of Incarceron. Based on the Catherine Fisher series, it is supposedly set to star Twilight’s Taylor Lautner in the role of Finn, a prisoner of Incarceron who knows nothing of the outside world.

And buzz is building about Matched. Based on the first of three books from Ally Condie, Matched is also still in the early stages. Movie rights were picked up by Disney, and things are now listed as being “in development”.

There is also talk about the Trylle Trilogy from self-publishing star Amanda Hocking, Beautiful Creatures from Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and the House of Night series from P.C. Cast all being in various stages of development, along with Firelight from Sophie Jordan and Delirium from Lauren Oliver. But things can change quickly, as shown by Melissa Marr‘s Wicked Lovely. Two months after Kimberly Peirce was tapped to direct, things just sort of…went away. It is now in the process of being shopped around, so things are back to square one.

So, even though Harry Potter has ended, and Twilight is nearing the finish line, it looks like we will have no shortage of adaptations to keep us running to the theaters for a long, long time.